Missouri State player shot, killed during Las Vegas dispute

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SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) _ Missouri State University’s football community is mourning the loss of one of its players killed in a shooting in his hometown of Las Vegas.

Las Vegas police say 18-year-old Richard Nelson was intervening in a dispute involving several women outside a home Saturday night when a man fired multiple shots, killing Nelson. It was not immediately clear Sunday if there were any arrests or charges.

Nelson was a redshirt freshman last season at Missouri State. The Bears’ coach, Dave Steckel, said in a statement that Nelson’s death was a tragedy in that “he lost his life defending what was right.” Steckel described Nelson as “like a son or a brother.”

Kyle Moats, Missouri State’s athletics director, said that Springfield school would offer grief counseling for student-athletes when they return to campus this week.